We are living in a time of uncertainty, when the future seems indiscernible and a new kind of world war has emerged. Yet, oddly for most, our daily lives remain undisturbed, despite startling reminders of this new era, such as threats of upcoming domestic attacks or the recent stream of news images depicting hooded, tethered Iraqi prisoners. While watching the evening news, one could easily confuse these newsflashes as documents extracted from 70s and 80s performance art rather than the emergence of a new reality. In the midst of this transitional moment in history, we seem to be hanging in an odd angle of repose, comfortably adjusting to new realities, in what we may have previously imagined was our perfect world. Meanwhile, artists continue to make their work, whether consciously or unconsciously responding to the nature of our time. With this in mind, audiences may reflect differently on a group of area artists exhibiting their work as part of MAP’s Artscape exhibition with a different sense of appreciation and comprehension.
-Lisa Lewenz, curator
